Since as long as I can remember I have been obsessed with bikes and cycling.In the 60's the roads were less crowded than now. I regularly cycled many miles through the countryside by myself (also there was less thought about perceived dangers)
Three-speed bicycles got me around , although I drooled over brochures of lightweights racers from Raleigh, Claud Butler, Holdsworth, Dawes,Falcon, Austro-Daimler, Motobecane, Puch, Peugeot etc
Eventually I bought my first 'own' bike - a Raleigh double top-tube 3 speed ex-Policemans bike and cycled to Wales on it.
My first bike shop job in 1979 paid to buy the bits and pieces to build a lightweight tourer around a Claud Butler Cassino frameset.
Nowadays I see bicycles as part of a bigger picture of human-powered transport - with trailers, child and luggage carrying bikes, tandems and trikes, recumbents ( my personal favourite ! ), velomobiles ( would like to be able to afford one ! ) and pedal powered boats and planes..........
Bikes are beautifully designed engineering, you can travel for miles all day long, at least 4 or 5 times faster and further than on foot. Despite loads of use and abuse they will keep on going with a small amount of regular maintenance.........................................................................................
